Land at Beara Down Farm, Bratton Fleming – Proposal for residential development

What we are consulting on

This consultation should only be completed by residents of Bratton Fleming, nr Barnstaple, North Devon.

Devon County Council is proposing to make land, which is currently vacant and owned by the Council, available for potential residential development.

In order to do that, we would like to apply to North Devon Council for outline planning permission, to establish the principle of development and determine access arrangements at that site.

First, we would like to obtain the views of local people about the principle of residential development on the land, to help us put forward an application for outline planning permission.

Please note that this is not formal consultation, as part of a formal planning process. The District Council’s Planning department would carry out formal public consultation should an application to develop the land be registered with them in the future.

We would like to seek outline planning permission to build 10 dwellings and are interested in obtaining the views of local residents regarding our proposals for the site and understanding your priorities.

The site at Beara Down, Bratton Fleming is situated on Grange Hill, between the Recreational Grounds and Industrial Estate. The site proposed for development is 1.36 acres (0.55ha) and is a vacant farmstead, currently consisting of a redundant bungalow, two steel/asbestos barns and an area of rough grassland with no real ecological value.

The site does contain some mature hedgerows and trees, which will be appropriately retained wherever possible. The site does not contain any tree preservation orders nor is it a site of special scientific interest, but is within an area of landscape value.

What we are proposing

The original proposal aimed to construct 10 dwellings, accessible from Grange Hill. The dwellings would include 2-3 bed terraced and semi-detached houses with a provision of 30% affordable housing in accordance with the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan (equating to 2 social and 1 shared equity property). Provision of a footpath through the recreational ground would be sought to connect the site safely to the village. The local school has sufficient capacity but we would anticipate developer contributions towards education, open space, and transport.

The vision for development:

• delivery of new homes in a sustainable location, where future residents can have access to  services and facilities in the village and nearby towns
• offer a provision of open market and affordable housing to meet an identified shortfall in the local area
• facilitate development that integrates with the landscape and responds positively to the character and appearance of the area
• creation of areas of amenity and open space for the enjoyment of future residents
• provide biodiversity enhancements through new tree planting and the retention of the  hedgerows wherever possible
• promote safe and enhanced pedestrian and cycle connectivity to the surrounding area.

The outline below shows the proposal for 10 properties, with the access from Grange Hill and the proposed landscaping to create open space.

Schedule of accommodation

Have your say

As a local resident, we would value what you feel is most important for your community. Please let us have your comments by 30 April 2022 by completing our short online survey.

Paper copies of the consultation will also be available from the Bratton Fleming Village Store.

What happens next

Results will be shared with your Parish Council and North Devon Council following completion of the consultation.

You can view a summary of the consultation responses here.